This invention relates to the field of devices used in the application of heat or cold to parts of the human body, and more particularly to the field of insulating icing systems attachable to the joints of various appendages of a human or animal body.
There are presently known a large number of devices used to apply heat or cold to parts of the human body. One set of such prior art devices relies on hot or cold water to supply the therapeutic source of heat or cold. While liquid water at different temperatures is generally conveniently available, the heat or cold carrying capacity of water is limited when no phase change is involved.
Another set of such prior art devices relies on gel packs as a source of heat or cold. While some such packs have more heat or cold carrying capacity than water, they are relatively expensive and their capacity is still limited. U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,749 discloses thermal vascular dilating device and method employing a cylindrically shaped water-tight container with a threaded spout and cap opening for filling the container. Hook and loop fastener straps are used to secure the device to the arm of the human body.
For applying cold to (removing heat from) the human body, ice has long been recognized as having superior cold carrying capacity when compared with all simple liquids and many other substances that are capable of undergoing a phase change. The phase change energy of ice turning to water is very high, and ice is therefore a very effective source of cold. Ice is also inexpensive and readily available in a variety of settings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,240 discloses a device for immobilizing and applying heat or cold to a body part. It includes one or more pouches for enclosing ice packs or heat packs. A complex arrangement of straps allows these packs to be positioned in various relationships to an arm and shoulder. This device assumes that a certain degree of immobility is desirable or necessary, and, accordingly, includes metal stays for this purpose. However, on many occasions, people with minor body part injuries wish to remain as active as possible, while still deriving the beneficial effects of cold therapy, and this device is inappropriate to their needs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,932 discloses an ice pack specialized for use on the human knee. It includes multiple compartments for receiving the ice and a hole intended to be aligned with the patella to keep it from being subjected to the cooling effect of the ice. The multiple compartments are accessed through a zipper and the pack is secured to the leg with a pattern of hook and loop fastener strips. This pack is highly specialized for the knee and is fastened in a way that presumes some immobility on the part of user. Moreover, zippers are expensive and tend to be unreliable with extended use in a moist environment.
What is desired is an icing system that can be applied to a variety of body parts, that uses ice with maximum efficiency, that allows varying amounts of ice to be put around different areas of the same body part, that is easily attached and detached, that is flexible, light weight, and non-irritating, that permits a maximum of mobility on the part of the user, that permits the ice container to be readily exchanged or reloaded very easily, that utilizes an ice container that is cheap, disposable, non-leaking and readily available, and that is simple and utilizes common materials, so that manufacturing costs and selling price can be minimized.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for applying therapeutic cold to an injured body part that utilizes ice as its source of cold.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an icing system that can be used in different configurations with a variety of different places on different appendages of a human or animal body.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an icing system that uses its ice with a maximum of efficiency, by providing for very effective insulation from the ambient environment so that as much cold as possible is communicated to the desired area around the body part with a minimum of wasteful dissipation into the ambient environment.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an icing system that allows differing amounts of ice to be applied to various regions around one injured body part, depending on the nature of the injury.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an icing system that is easily and simply attachable and detachable.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an icing system that is flexible, light weight, non-leaking and non-irritating.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an icing system that permits a maximum of mobility on the part of the user.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an icing system that permits the ice container to be readily exchanged or reloaded very easily.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an icing system that utilizes an ice container that is cheap, disposable, and readily available.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an icing system that is simple and utilizes common materials, so that manufacturing costs and selling price can be minimized.